AP Psychology - Unit 6

Developmental Psychology

Developmental Psychology (definition)

A branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span

Developmental Psychology (example)

the type of psychology that studies the difference between learning styles in babies

Zygote (definition)

The fertilized egg; it enters a 2-week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo

Zygote (example)

What Christians say is a living human from conception before developing into an embryo

Embryo (definition)

The developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization through the second month

Embryo (example)

What Christians say is a living human after being a zygote

Fetus (definition)

the developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth

Fetus (example)

What Christians say is a living human nine weeks after conception to birth

Teratogens (example)

Alcohol, cigarettes, and recreational drugs

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (definition)

Physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman’s heavy drinking. In severe cases, signs include a small, out-of-proportion head and abnormal facial features

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (example)

The syndrome caused by drinking during pregnancy

Maturation (definition)

Biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience

Maturation (example)

Growth in weight and height

Schema (definition)

A concept or framework that organizes and interprets information

Schema (example)

Perceived social roles and world views

Assimilation (definition)

Interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas

Assimilation (example)

A chef learning a new cooking technique

Accommodation (definition)

adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information

Accommodation (example)

A child learning that not all four-legged animals are dogs

Sensorimotor Stage (definition)

The stage (from birth to nearly 2 years of age) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities

Sensorimotor Stage (example)

Learning how to use a rattle

Object Permanence (definition)

The awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived

Object Permanence (example)

Knowing that your parents are still in the house even though they are not in the same room

Preoperational Stage (definition)

The stage (from about 2 to 6 or 7 years of age) during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic

Preoperational Stage (example)

A child being able to imitate the way someone talks, even if the person is not in the room

Conservation (definition)

the principle that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects

Conservation (example)

By adding a rock into a glass of water, you do not change the volume of the water

Egocentrism (definition)

The preoperational child’s difficulty taking another’s point of view

Egocentrism (example)

A child not understanding why someone was able to find them during hide-and-seek

Concrete Operational Stage (definition)

the stage of cognitive development (from about 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events

Concrete Operational Stage (example)

a child can only apply logic to things that they have seen or that currently exist during this stage

Formal Operational Stage (definition)

the stage of cognitive development (normally beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts

Formal Operational Stage (example)

a child can develop moral reasoning and abstract thinking during this stage

Scaffold (definition)

a framework that offers children temporary support as they develop higher levels of thinking

Scaffold (example)

when an infant is learning how to walk, they may hold onto an adult for temporary support

Stranger Anxiety (definition)

the fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning by about 8 months of age

Stranger Anxiety (example)

clinging to a trusted adult because of _______

Attachment (definition)

an emotional tie with another person

Attachment (example)

what is shown in young children by their seeking closeness to their caregiver and showing distress on separation

Critical Period (definition)

an optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development

Critical Period (example)

at 3-8 months it is important to protect the eyes of infants because their binocular vision is in it’s ____________

Imprinting (definition)

the process by which certain animals form strong attachments during early life

Imprinting (example)

“YOU _________ ON MY DAUGHTER” - Bella Swan

Secure Attachment (definition)

demonstrated by infants who comfortably explore environments in the presence of their caregiver, show only temporary distress when the caregiver leaves, and find comfort in the caregiver’s return

Secure Attachment (example)

being able to share your feelings openly and support when faced with relationship problems

Insecure Attachment (definition)

demonstrated by infants who display either a clinging, *anxious attachment* or an *avoidant attachment* that resists closeness

Insecure Attachment (example)

feeling clingy or needy in relationships and being selfish or manipulative when feeling vulnerable

Temperament (definition)

a person’s characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity

Temperament (example)

how a child reacts when their environment changes

Basic Trust (definition)

according to Erik Erikson, a sense that the world is predictable and trustworthy; said to be formed during infancy by appropriate experiences with responsive caregivers

Basic Trust (example)

the reason why an infant is more responsive to a caregiver that gave them attention compared to the secondary caregiver that rarely gave them attention

Self-Concept (definition)

all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves in answer to the question, “Who am I?”

Self-Concept (example)

asking yourself if you are a good friend

Role (definition)

a set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave

Role (example)

in 1950s, the idea that women are homemakers and men are providers

Adolescence (definition)

the transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence

Adolescence (example)

ages 10 to 19

Puberty (definition)

the period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproducing

Puberty (example)

growing taller from the age of 9-18 because of this

Identity (definition)

our sense of self; according to Erikson, the adolescent’s task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and integrating various roles

Identity (example)

discovering who you are while you are an adolescent

Intimacy (definition)

in Erikson’s theory, the ability to form close, loving relationships; a primary developmental task in young adulthood

Intimacy (example)

the type connection formed with close friends

Emerging Adulthood (definition)

a period from about age 18 to the mid-twenties, when many in Western cultures are no longer adolescents but have not yet achieved full independence as adults

Emerging Adulthood (example)

the stage after adolescent, now fully independent

Primary Sex Characteristic (definition)

the body structures that make sexual reproduction possible

Primary Sex Characteristic (example)

ovaries, testes, and external genitalia

Secondary Sex Characteristic (definition)

nonreproductive sexual traits

Secondary Sex Characteristic (example)

female breasts and hips, male voice quality, and body hair

Spermarche (definition)

the first ejaculation

Spermarche (example)

the first ejaculation

Menarche (definition)

the first menstrual period

Menarche (example)

the first menstrual period

Menopause (definition)

the biological changes a woman experiences as her ability to reproduce declines

Menopause (example)

the time of natural cessation of menstruation

Social Clock (definition)

the culturally preferred timing of social events such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement

Social Clock (example)

in western culture, the idea that you get married in your mid-twenties, early thirties

Trust vs. Mistrust (definition)

the first of Erikson’s eight stages of psychosocial development, between birth and 18 months

Trust vs. Mistrust (example)

During this stage, the infant either comes to view other people and himself or herself as trustworthy or comes to develop a fundamental distrust of his or her environment

Autonomy vs. Shame and Guilt (definition)

the stage in which a child learned to be independent and make their own decisions in life

Autonomy vs. Shame and Guilt (example)

a preschooler’s ability to plan

Initiative vs. Guilt (definition)

If the child is placed in an environment where he/she can explore, make decisions, and initiate activities, they have achieved initiative. On the other hand, if the child is put in an environment where initiation is repressed through criticism and control, he/she will develop a sense of guilt.

Initiative vs. Guilt (example)

a child being able to initiate a game

Competence vs. Inferiority (definition)

being productive upon receiving an evaluation of one's work or becoming discouraged, feeling inferior, or incompetent upon receiving an evaluation of one's work.

Competence vs. Inferiority (examples)

receiving encouragement for your hard word will result in ____

Identity vs. Role Confusion

the adolescent question of “Who am I,” during which time they are conflicted with dozens of values and ideas of who they should be and what they should think

Identity vs. Role Confusion (example)

during teen years, the questioning of who you are and finding where you belong

Intimacy vs. Isolation (definition)

the ability to be able to open up romantically and emotionally to those closest to the individual vs the inability to form close relationships

Intimacy vs. Isolation (example)

the struggle to connect with your coworkers is _______

Generativity vs. Stagnation (definition)

an individual making their impression and achieving goals related to their stage of vs a lack of ambitions and a tendency to become stuck in one place

Generativity vs. Stagnation (example)

achieving the goals you made for your career before you retire

Integrity vs. Despair (definition)

look back and life and either feeling satisfied that life was well-lived or regretting choices and missed opportunities

Integrity vs. Despair (example)

looking back at your life and feeling regret when thinking back to prior choices you once made

Preconventional Morality (definition)

moral decisions are based on the consequences of the action

Preconventional Morality (example)

basing your decisions off if you will be punished for your actions

Conventional Morality (definition)

moral decisions are based on the precepts of love and approval and religion and/or the law

Conventional Morality (example)

basing your decisions on if it is illegal or not

Postconventional Morality (definition)

moral decisions are based on fairness, justice, and truth

Postconventional Morality (example)

often times civil law is superseded by a higher moral law as determined by conscious